Conveying system.



M. U. BERNHEIM.

CONVEYING SYSTEM. APPLICATION mzo Nov. 3. 1909.

Patent-ed Apr. 17,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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M. U. BERNHEIM.

CONVEYING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-3,1909.

L229,598u Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- other places and have met with MORRIS U'. IBEBNHEIM,

MENTS, TO THE ALVEY-FERGUSON COMPANY, OF

TION OF OHIO.

OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOB, MESNE ASSIGN- CINOINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORl.-

CON VEYIN Gr SYSTEM.

WWW

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 17, 19117.

Application filed November 3, 1909. Serial No. 528,141.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORRIS U. BERNI-IEIM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveying Systems, of which the following is a specification.

Conveying systems embodyinga line of gravity conveyors on two different floors, connected by an inclined elevator having a bed or way over which the packages are conducted from the lower line of gravity conveyers to the upper one, have gone into extensive use in bottling establishments and considerable favor. In many establishments various op erations are carried on on different floors, and it is desirable to convey the packages from one floor to the next one, for these successive operations, and finally to a storage room at the top or bottom of the building. In such cases, and in others in which pack ages are taken from either of a plurality of floors served by the system and transferred to another one, by gravity conveyers and inclined elevators, it has been the custom to provide the floors with inclined elevators, each of which is complete in itself and has no connection with any other except through gravity conveyors arranged between the delivering end of one elevator and the receiving end of another. In many cases, this is undesirable for various reasons which need not be set forth herein, and the leading purpose of the present invention, is to overcome the disadvantages thereof.

This object is well accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings which exemplify what I regard as the best embodiment of my invention. In the drawings z- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my present invention arranged to receive packages from either one of two conveyers upon different floors and to convey the packages to a third floor.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of that portion of the elevator upon and adjacent to the second floor.

The same characters of reference designate the same parts in the several views.

The el vator (describing it with reference to its elevating function) comprises a receiving end or section, as A at its bottom, a delivery end or section A at its top, one or more receiving sections A intermediate of its length, an inclined section A between the receiving end A and the receiving section A and a similar inclined section A between the latter and the delivery end A, or next receiving section A as the case may be: it

being, of course, understood that the number of receiving sections A embodied in the elevator depends upon the number of intermediate rooms or stories which are to be served by the elevator.

This elevator extends from the lower floor X, through openings Y in the other floors, to the uppermost room which is to be served thereby.

The receiving end A, delivering end A and receiving sections A are all approximately horizontal and are provided with package supporting means constituting a way or bed which is continuous throughout the entire length of the elevator. The supporting means of the ways or bed are such that there are no abrupt angles in the latter at the junctions of horizontal and inclined portions of the elevator, the ends of said inclined sections merging into the contiguous horizontal portion, as shown.

The way or bed is formed partly of rollers 1 and partly of slides, the" latter being arranged at the junctions of horizontal receiving portions with contiguous inclined sections. The slides herein shown are each formed of longitudinal strips 2 secured to transverse supporting strips 3. The rollers l are of the freely rotatable type and preferably are employed in the approximately horizontal receiving portions A, A and A as well as in the major portion of the inclined sections A and A Traveling along this bed, from one extremity of the elevator to the other is a pack age-propelling means which is composed of endless travelers, as chains 4, arranged at opposite sides of the bed or way and carrying package-engaging elements, 5, here shown as extending across the bed or way, immediately above the surface of the latter, and connecting the chains with each other. These chains extend over sprockets 6 and 7 mounted at the extremities of the elevator, on shafts 8 and 9, to one of which shafts, preferably the upper one, is applied the power which drives the propelling means. To the other shaft there is preferably connected a means of suitable character for tak ing up slack in the chains. This means is here shown as comprising bearings 10, slidably mounted in suitable guiding supports 11 therefor and provided with adjusting rods 12 having threaded engagement with said supports.

A frame is provided of construction suitable to support the bed and to guide and support the chains.

This frame is here shown as comprising at each side an upper longitudinal member 15, a lower longitudinal member 16, an intermediate longitudinal member 17, approximately vertical members 18 which tie the members 15 and 16 together, and transverse members 19 which support the intermediate members 17. The upper and lower longitudinal members 15 and 16 are so formed as to provide guides for the endless chains, and the intermediate longitudinal members 17 support the bed or way of the elevator. The frame members 15 and 1G in the construction herein illustrated are each formed of sections of angle-iron arranged end to end and in relatively reverse positions, the horizontal portions 15 and 16 being uppermost and serving to hold the chain down in the bends of the elevator and the corresponding horizontal portions 15 and 16 being at the bottom and serving to support the chains in the remaining portions of the elevator.

By this means the chains, which travel continuously along the several approximately horizontal portions as well as along the several inclined sections of the elevator, are efiectively supported and guided without requiring any surplus metal, adding unnecessarily to the weight and cost of the elevator.

The intermediate longitudinal members 17 also preferably are formed of angle irons, whereby they provide a. wall, 17 for the journals of the rollers and another wall 17 forming an expanded base for the transverse members 19.

Suitable supporting legs as 20 are provided for the several approximately horizontal portions of the elevator. These legs are adapted to rest upon the floor. In the illustrated form of the invention the lower horizontal portion A. rests uponthe floor but it is apparent that it may be elevated therefrom if desired.

An elevator of the construction described is adapted to be associated with a series of appropriate conveyers, such as B, C and D, arranged in the several rooms from and into which the elevator extends, so as to receive packages automatically therefrom, that is to say, without the need of any manual attendance at the juncture of the conveyers and elevator. The conveyers B and C, in the exemplified form of the invention are package-delivering conveyers, and respectively lead to the receiving portions A and A of the elevator. The packages which are delivered to the approximately horizontal sections A and A of the elevator are supported by the ways or beds of said elevator in their travel along the elevator and are caused to travel upon said bed or way by being pushed by the flights 5 which respectively engage the rear ends of the packages and travel relatively to the bed or way. The conveyer D is what may be termed a discharging conveyer and leads from the delivering end Aof the elevator. These several conveyers are preferably of the type of gravity conveyers having transverse freely rotatable rollers forming their beds, and preferably have their beds or ways approximately in the planes of and contiguous to approximatelydiorizontal sections of the elevator bed or way whereby the packages are delivered from the delivering conveyers to the elevator and from the elevator to the discharging conveyer without shock. To prevent movement onto either inclined sec tion of the elevator of a package improperly engaged with the propelling-means and to guide the packages toward the center of the way or bed, spring arms 21 are employed, as hitherto.

It will of course be understood that the number of delivering conveyers C employed will depend upon the number of intermediate stories or floors through which the elevator extends.

The package-supporting bed or way of the intermediate conveyer C preferably extends to the receiving section A 'of the elevator so as to deliver its packages directly to the latter. When thus arranged it intersects the path of movement of packages from the inclined section A to said receiving section A and hence would interfere with such movement. To avoid this, the delivery end C of the section G, and of each of the same when more than one is employed, where it crosses the path of a rising package, is so mounted that it may be moved out of such path. In the exemplified form of the invention, this is accomplished by hinging the section G to the contiguous end of the conveyer C, as shown at 0, thus permitting the section 0 to be turned upward, in which position it not only is clear of the path of the packages but also serves as a stop for any package which reaches it on the conveyer G. This section C may be lifted automatically by the rising package, or it may be manually raised, the latter being preferred.

It is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the present invention will be fully comprehended from the foregoing description of what is at present believed to be the best embodiment thereof, selected, for that reason, to exemplify the invention.

While I have described the elevator in terms Which relate more especially to the elevation of packages, it will be understood of course that by reversing the direction of movement of the traveling means, the elevator is adapted to lower packages, the pack age-engaging elements in this case conducting the packages downward on the bed or way, engaging the front ends of the pack ages while the latter are on the inclined sections, so as to regulate their speed of travel on the latter, and engaging their rear ends and propelling them over the horizontal sections, if their momentum is not suilicient for the latter. Both of these movements of the packages are intended to be included within the terms and spirit of the subjoined claims.

Having now described the invention what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a conveying system, an elevator adapted to automatically receive packages from conveyers disposed on different levels and to safely transfer the packages to a third level, combined with a plurality of conveyors for delivering packages to said elevator; the elevator having a packagesupporting bed or way which is formed to provide an approximately horizontal receiving section at one end operatively related to one of said conveyors, an approximately horizontal delivering section at the other end, an approximately horizontal section intermediate of its length, and inclined sections betweenthe intermediate section and the receiving and delivering sections at the ends of the elevator, respectively, said elevator also having traveling means which move relatively to the bed or way continuously from end to end of the elevator and conduct packages over the same, the intermediate approximately horizontal section of the elevator being operatively related to a conveyer-section and said conveyor-section when in operative position intersecting the path of a package at the junction of the intermediate section and an inclined section and being adjustable out of said path to permit packages to pass from one of said elevator-sections to the other.

2. In a conveying system, a series of gravity conveyers, each arranged on a different level, and an elevator common to said conveyors, said elevator having a packagesupporting bed or way and traveling means for conducting packages thereover, the bed or Way having inclined sections between said levels, respectively, approximately horizontal sections in operative relation with the lowermost and uppermost conveyers, respectively, and an intermediate approximately horizontal section in operative relation with the intermediate conveyor, said inclined sections merging into the approximately horizontal section and said traveling means being guided to traverse the elevator relatively to said bed or way, and in paths corresponding to said sections, the intermediate conveyer having a section which when in operative relation With the intermediate approximately-horizontal section of the elevator intersects the path of a package approaching on the adjacent inclined section and is adapted to be moved out of said path.

8. In a conveying system, a series of gravity conveyers, each arranged on a different level, and an elevator common to said conveyers, said elevator having a packagesupporting bed or way and traveling means comprising package engaging elements which travel relatively to the package-supporting bed or way, continuously from one end of the same to the other, and conduct the packages thereover, the bed or way being provided with inclined sections arranged between said levels and approximately horizontal sections which are adjacent to said levels, respectively, the inclined sections merging into the approximately horizontal sections, the inclined sections of said bed or way being composed of rollers and said bed or way having slides arranged at the junctions of the inclined and approximately horizontal sections, each approximately horizontal section of the elevator being operatively related to a conveyer and the conveyer which cooperates with the in termedi ate approximately-horizontal section of the elevator having an end which when inoperative position intersects the path of a package approaching on an inclined section and is movable out of said path.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MORRIS U. BERNHEIM.

Witnesses:

W. E. GOTTHARDT, Roy R. WORRALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

